Chiropractor responds to lawsuit

An attorney representing a chiropractor facing a lawsuit for fraudulent billing responded to Fox 9 regarding the allegations.

Partial statement from attorney for Dr. Joshua Anderson:

“Dr. Anderson’s primary goal is to provide effective chiropractic services to his patients.  Dr. Anderson has provided those services to people in Minneapolis and St. Paul for 15 years.

Dr. Anderson works closely with his patients and they continue to be more than satisfied with the patient care provided by Dr. Anderson and his colleagues.  Because Dr. Anderson respects the confidentiality of his patients he does not discuss his patients with anyone including the media.

[…]

Dr. Anderson has reviewed the allegations in the complaint Fox 9 provided to him.  There is absolutely no truth in the allegation that Dr. Anderson defrauded anyone including State Farm.  The allegations defame Dr. Anderson and his important work.  Moreover, State Farm has already litigated many of these claims and lost.  Attempting to re-litigate these claims is strong evidence of a desperate auto insurer trying to save a buck.

I understand that State Farm has a history of refusing to pay for the care provided to Minnesotans injured in car accidents.  When those auto accident victims are dealing with the difficult circumstances of an injury and likely financial instability, Dr. Anderson still provides treatment even though State Farm refuses to pay for the injured person’s care.  There are instances where Dr. Anderson’s patients have been forced to seek the assistance of the Courts to merely get State Farm to pay for their care.”

A lawsuit alleges that a Twin Cities chiropractor sent a car insurance company more than $1 million in fraudulent bills.

State Farm claims Joshua Anderson, D.C., used misdiagnoses and phony bills to charge the insurer $716,453 in claims it has paid, and $588,672 in bills it still owes. State Farm is suing Dr. Anderson, as well as Lake Street Chiropractic, Restore Chiropractic Clinic, Renew Chiropractic Clinic, Great Lakes MRI, and Midwest Pain Relief — all owned by Anderson, according to the lawsuit.

“While patients in a normal treatment setting receive varying diagnoses and treatment plans tailored to their individual needs, the patients at [Anderson’s clinics] did not,” according to the civil complaint filed on Tuesday, Nov. 29.  “Instead, their diagnoses, treatment plans, and chiropractic care were predetermined to keep patients treating.”

The lawsuit lists alleged fraudulent claims. In one claim, Lake Street Chiropractic recorded “an extensive examination,” but the patient later said the “visit consisted of paperwork and then a massage.”

This is not the first time a car insurance company has sued Dr. Anderson. Allstate Insurance Company sued Anderson in 2006. Progressive sued Anderson in 2005. Both lawsuits resulted in confidential settlements.

Dr. Anderson’s license is listed as “active” with the Minnesota Board of Chiropractic Examiners.

An insurance industry spokesperson says auto-insurance fraud is an increasing problem in Minnesota.

“We have a massive auto-insurance fraud problem in Minnesota," said Mark Kulda, vice-president of public affairs at the Insurance Federation of Minnesota. "This is a perfect example of that. We have been dealing with this for years."

According to Kulda, Minnesota is a hot spot for organized criminal activity, once leading the nation in a National Insurance Crime Bureau report. Kulda told Fox 9 that investigating and prosecuting auto insurance fraud is expensive, leading to more insurance companies seeking damages for their losses in civil courts.

“You’re seeing a lot more insurers go the civil route, which is what happened today,” Kulda said. “Every time an insurance company has to pay more in premiums than they should, it’s not really coming out of the big pot of money form the insurance company, it’s coming out of your premium.”

In December 2015, Fox 9 cameras caught federal and state investigators raiding various chiropractors in the Twin Cities. Investigations into any criminal activity are “ongoing,” according to a spokesperson for the Minnesota Department of Commerce.